Half to william r



No. 748,697. PATBNTBD JAN. 5, 1904.

1 o. BUSH. y

WIRE STRBTGHER.

APPLICATION FILED' APB. 29. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

Q n 'www Patented January 5, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE.

CHARLES BUSH, OF SOHOOLHOUSE, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR'OF ONE- HALF TOWILLIAM R. CARNAHAN,`OF SOHOOLHOU'SE, WEST VIR- GINIA.

WIRE-STRETCH ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. r748,697, dated.January 5, 1904.

Application filed April 29, 1903i Serial No. 154,770. (No model.)

.To all whom, it tay concern,.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES BUSH, acitzen of the United States, residingat Schoolhouse, in the county of Jackson and State of West Virginia,have invented a certain new and useful Wire-Stretcher, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawings.

This invention relates to wire-stretchers, the object in view being toprovide asilnple, cheap, and /etective wire-stretcher of lever formembodying means forengaging a fenee-y post and using the same for afulcrum about which the stretcher is operated, the wirestretcher alsoembodying a knuckle-jointed gripping-head having a plurality ofwiregrips which adapt the ldevice to be used either in connection withrough, smooth, or barbed wire.

A further object of the invention is to so arrange the wire-grippingdevices that they will not interfere with each other, one of thewire-grips being so connected with the gripping-head that it may bereadily detached therefrom. rlhe gripping-head is so connected pivotallywith the main body of the wirestretcher that it can swing only inacertain plane, which has the eiect of steadying the operation of thestretcher and rendering the same more reliable and rapid in use.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in thenovel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, ashereinafter fullydescribed, illustrated,and claimed. -V

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective viewillustrating the wirestretcher and the method of using the same.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the wirestretcher, illustrating therst step in the operation of stretching a fence-wire. Fig. 3 is asimilar view showing the position of the stretcher and wire after thelatter has been stretched and is in readiness to be fastened to a post.Fig. 4 is an enlarged dei-ail plan View of the wire-gripping head withone of the wire-grips removed. Fig. .5 is a detail turned in theoperation of stretching a wire.

The lever also comprises a heel extension 5, which is substantiallyparallel with the main body 1 of the lever and is connected with saidmain body by means of the gooseneck or seg-- mental portion 3. Saidgooseneck or se?,- mental portion 3 is strengthened by means of areinforcing rib or ange 6, extending along the outer side thereof, asshown.

In carrying out the present invention the wire-gripping head 7 isconnected, by means of a knuckle-joint 8, with the extremity ofthe Aheelextension 5 of the lever, said knucklejoint consisting of a pluralityot`inter1itting and overlapping ears connected by a single pivot or bolt9, which allows the grippinghead to swing only in the same plane withthe heel extension 5, thereby keeping the wire exactly in alinement withthe lever as the wire is 'carried across the post prior to being securedthereto.

At its extremity the gripping-head 7 is provided with a claw lO, whichis used princi- `pally for obtaining a hold upon rough or barbed wire,in which event the other gripping device hereinafter described isdetached. The othergrippingdevice consists of athum hlever 1l, providedat one end'with an exteriorly roughened or serrated head l2, havingoppositelvprojecting trunnions or pintles 18, which are received inoblique slots 14 in a pair of oppositely-arranged lugs or ears l5,projecting from the same side of the grippinghead 7 as the claw 10 andas clearly shown device.

in Figs. 2 and 3. The trunnions or/pintles 13 are eccentric withrelation to the curvature of the head 12 of the detachable grip, so thatas the lever 11 is rocked the head 12 operates to grip the fence-wirebetween itself and the gripping-head 7 or release said wire, as the casemay be.

After the lever has been swung around the post to the positionillustrated in Fig. 3 and the wire has thereby been stretched across thepost a staple or other suitable fastener 16 is driven across the wireand into the post. This operation is facilitated by vmeans of aretainer-hook 17, which is jointed to the handle, as shown at 18, andprovided with one or more hooks 19, either of which may be engaged overthe fence-wire, (shown at 20,) so as to hold the wire-stretcher as awhole in place while driving the staple or securing the same to thepost.

The inclined slots 14 allow the detachable grip to be removed from thegripping-head by turning lthe same toward the claw 10. In any otherposition, however, the grippinglever 11 through the medium of thepintles 13 and inclined slots 14 is prevented from becominglaccidentally disconnected from the In operating upon smooth wire thegripping-lever 11 is employed, the wire passing between the jaws of theclaw 10. In stretching rough or barbed wire, however, the lever 11 ispreferably detached and the claw 10 used alone. The claw 10 and thegripping-head 12 are arranged in longitudinal alinement with each other,and therefore do not interfere.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, s

1. In a Wire-stretcher, a lever provided with a gooseneck for embracinga post, a heel eX- tension at the extremity of the gooseneck, agripping-head having a knuckle-jointed connection with said heelextension, a wire-gripping device carried by said gripping-head, and anauxiliary wire-grip detachably connected with the gripping-head.

2. In a wire-stretcher, a lever provided with a gooseneck, adapted toembrace a fencepost, a heel extension connected with the eX- tremity ofsaid gooseneck, a wire-gripping head having a knuckle-jointed connectionwith said extension, and adapted to swing in the same plane with saidextension, a wiregripping claw carried by said head, and an auxiliarydetachable wire-grip consisting'of a lever provided with agripping-head, pin

ties at opposite sides of the head, and lugs on the main gripping-headprovided with inclined slots to receive the pintles of the anxiliarygripping device, substantially as described'.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES BUSH. Witnesses:

JAMES CANTER, DUDLEY RoLLINs.

